Inflatable sound attenuation system

ABSTRACT

An inflatable, noise attenuating panel or barrier, comprised of an inflatable air chamber coated with (wrapped in or attached thereto) an acoustic barrier material, with which to construct a variety of structures that benefit from a degree of soundproofing.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.11/432,802, filed May 11, 2006 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,992,678, which claimsthe benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/680,940, filed May12, 2005, entitled “INFLATABLE SOUND ATTENUATION SYSTEM,” thedisclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates generally to sound attenuation devices andsystems, and more particularly to inflatable sound attenuation devicesand systems that are portable and flexible.

In today's society, there are often areas where it is desirable toprovide sound attenuation but it is difficult to achieve. Examplesinclude apartments, condominiums, townhouses, single family dwellingswith little separation therebetween and other structures that are closetogether or include rooms that may benefit from sound attenuation.Occupants of these types of structures may wish to have music practicerooms or areas, home theaters, children's play areas, protection fromstreet noise, etc., but are unable to due the lack of practical andaffordable sound attenuation systems.

Furthermore, sound attenuation is sometimes desired for brief periods oftime, or at short notice, in situations where it is not practical oraffordable to erect permanent sound barriers. These situations mightinclude trade shows where a company might benefit from a sound-proofbooth or room for privacy concerns. Other situations might include roadconstruction projects, where a temporary sound wall between aneighborhood and the construction area is desirable, or even in the caseof a military operation, where an inflatable aircraft hanger with soundattenuation properties may be deployed during the mission and thenremoved (or replaced with a permanent structure) when the initialmission is complete.

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide systems and methods forconstructing inflatable, hence flexible and portable, soundproofedstructures for a wide variety of personal, commercial and military uses.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present invention provides flexible and portable sound attenuationdevices and systems as well as systems and methods for constructingsoundproofed structures for a wide variety of personal, commercial andmilitary uses.

The present invention provides an inflatable, noise attenuating barrierstructure, including an inflatable air chamber coated with (wrapped inor attached thereto) an acoustic barrier (e.g., a mass-loaded vinylbarrier) material, with which to construct a variety of structures thatbenefit from a degree of soundproofing.

Depending on the size of the structure one wishes to construct, aninflatable sound attenuation system in accordance with the presentinvention may be deployed as a single-piece inflatable room for example,wherein the walls, ceilings and floors are all part of the sameinflatable structure, or as “panels” of various sizes which are thenjoined together with noise attenuating coupling devices to providewalls, ceilings and other types of barriers.

The present invention provides significant soundproofing qualities as aresult of both the materials and methods used to construct the airchamber barrier structure and the air cavity inside the chamber.

In certain aspects, the acoustic barrier structure includes an airchamber portion manufactured using standard techniques and materialsalready in use to make air mattresses and other inflatable structures(such as inflatable amusement park play structures). In one aspect, theacoustic barrier includes a mass-loaded vinyl barrier material that iscommercially available. Such materials are made in varying levels ofopacity (clear, semi-opaque or non-transparent), as desired, for more orless light transmission into the structures constructed with the presentinvention. Those skilled in the art will understand that many types ofmaterials may be used.

The present invention combines the advantages of the properties ofmodern inflatable structures (light weight, portable, yet relativelystrong, rigid) with those of modern noise attenuating materials(flexibility, relatively low weight per square foot compared to otherolder sound attenuating materials) to provide sound attenuation devicesand systems that are portable, flexible and/or easy to construct.

An additional aspect of the present invention resides in the way panelsof the inflatable sound attenuation system may be combined usingcomplementary sound attenuating panel coupling devices. These couplersprovide soundproofing qualities of their own to the structures they area part of and hold together, as detailed in the attached drawings.

According to one aspect of the present invention, an inflatable soundattenuation panel is provided that typically includes an inflatablebladder that defines first and second barrier surfaces when inflated,the first and second surfaces being substantially parallel wheninflated, and a sheet of sound attenuation material (SAM) attached tothe first surface. In certain aspects, the SAM comprises mass-loadedvinyl (MLV).

According to one aspect of the present invention, an acoustic barrierstructure is provided that typically includes at least two panels, eachpanel comprising at least a first sheet of sound attenuation material(SAM), and a coupler device configured to hold the at least two panelstogether so as to form a barrier structure. In certain aspects, the SAMcomprises mass-loaded vinyl (MLV).

According to yet a further aspect of the present invention, aninflatable sound attenuation system is provided that typically includesan inflatable bladder system that when inflated defines a chamber havinginternal bladder surfaces and external bladder surfaces, and one or moresheets of sound attenuation material (SAM) attached to one or both ofthe internal and exterior surfaces. In certain aspects, the SAMcomprises mass-loaded vinyl (MLV). In certain aspects, the bladdersystem includes a single bladder. In certain aspects, the bladder systemincludes multiple interconnected bladders.

Reference to the remaining portions of the specification, including thedrawings and claims, will realize other features and advantages of thepresent invention. Further features and advantages of the presentinvention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodimentsof the present invention, are described in detail below with respect tothe accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbersindicate identical or functionally similar elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying Figures illustrate various aspects and components ofsystems in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates a sound attenuation panel according to oneembodiment.

FIG. 2 illustrates the panel of FIG. 1 in a deflated state.

FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of a panel after inflation of the bladderusing a pump mechanism.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of an acoustic barrier structure includinga plurality of panels coupled together with a plurality of couplingdevices to form a sound attenuation wall according to one embodiment.

FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of side-by-side coupler elementincluding a layer of sound attenuation material on an inner surface.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example of an acoustic barrier structure includinga plurality of panels, coupled together with a plurality of couplingdevices to form an enclosed sound attenuation chamber according to oneembodiment.

FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of a corner beam element 240according to one embodiment.

FIG. 8 illustrates an acoustic barrier chamber having a door.

FIG. 9 illustrates a modular acoustic barrier structure according toanother embodiment.

FIG. 10 illustrates a one-piece inflatable structure according to oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 illustrates a top view of embodiments of inflatable panelsconfigured with connection and support elements or features.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention provides sound attenuation panels and acousticbarrier structures incorporating one or more sound attenuation panels.FIG. 1 illustrates a sound attenuation panel 10 according to oneembodiment. As shown, panel 10 includes an inflatable bladder 20 thatwhen inflated with air or other fluid, e.g., liquid or gas, providessubstantially planar surface shapes (e.g., parallel surfaces). In oneaspect, a bladder may contain more than one fluid-receiving chamber suchthat different chambers may be filled with different fluids. In certainaspects, one or more surfaces might include baffles, however, thegeneral overall shape of a surface is substantially planar and parallelto its opposite surface. The larger, parallel surfaces will be referredto herein as barrier surfaces as these surfaces typically define thesound attenuation barrier dimensions. As shown, one barrier surfaceincludes a layer 30 of sound attenuation material attached thereto, andthe other barrier surface also includes a layer 40 of sound attenuationmaterial attached thereto. In one alternate embodiment, only one barriersurface includes a layer of sound attenuation material attached thereto.In one embodiment, the sound attenuation material includes mass-loadedvinyl (MLV), however, other materials with useful sound attenuationcharacteristics may be used. Examples of other useful sound attenuatingmaterials might include PVC, lead-impregnated materials such as fabricsor plastics, and other flexible or rigid materials. MLV is acommercially available material, and can be obtained in differentthicknesses and in different opacities (e.g., opaque and translucent).The bladder 30 is preferably made of PVC, polyurethane or other plasticor polymer material, and a surface of the bladder may have corrugatefeatures (e.g., baffles) or it may have a flat contour. In certainaspects, a sound attenuation layer (e.g., material layer 30 or 40) isattached using glue or other adhesive material, however, otherattachment elements such as velcro strips, ties, etc., may be used. Itshould be appreciated that a sound attenuation layer may includemultiple sound attenuation layers (e.g., a stack of one or more sheetsof the same or different materials).

Panel 10 provides advantageous sound attenuation qualities due, in part,to the sound attenuation properties of a sealed air cavity and also ofthe MLV layer(s). Sound waves impinging on the barrier surface aresignificantly attenuated not only by the sound attenuation materiallayer (e.g., MLV), but also by the air cavity between material layers 30and 40. Where only one layer 30 or 40 includes a sound attenuationmaterial attached thereto, the sound attenuation properties may not beas significant as with two layers. Also, it should be appreciated thatthe thickness(es) of the sound attenuation layer(s) (e.g., MLV) may bevaried, and that the thickness of the bladder 20, when inflated, may bevaried to optimize sound attenuation. For example, in certainsituations, depending in part on the materials used and the frequenciesto be attenuated, it may be desirable to have a bladder thickness(inflated) of about 6″, and in other situations it may be desirable thatthe thickness be about 8″. In general the bladder thickness may beconfigured to be between about 1″ and about 10″ or more. Also, thethickness of the sound attenuation material sheets or layers (e.g., MLV)may be between about 1 or 2 mm and about 1 or 2 inches or more. Forexample, larger thickness sheets may be desirable for large scale soundattenuation systems such as might be used in an aircraft hangar or otherindustrial setting. Also, flexible materials may be preferred due tobetter sound attenuation and/or absorption qualities of flexiblematerial; sound waves typically have more trouble consistentlypenetrating materials having a lower stiffness and/or greaterflexibility.

In one aspect, panel 10 is portable and flexible to allow for ease ofstorage and transport. FIG. 2 illustrates a panel 10 in a deflatedstate. As shown, the panel in a rolled up configuration. In a rolled-upconfiguration, for example, panel 10 can be more easily stored andtransported. As shown bladder 20 also includes valve port 15 forcoupling with a pump mechanism to allow for inflation (and deflation) ofbladder 20. Valve port 15 can be located on a side or a face of abladder, and in general anywhere on a bladder as may be convenient. FIG.3 illustrates a side view of panel 10 after inflation of bladder 20using a pump mechanism. The storage and transport element (e.g., bag,box or crate) can in certain aspects be configured to be used as anotherelement in a sound attenuation system, for example, a coupling elementor a brace.

According to one embodiment, an acoustic barrier structure includes oneor a plurality of connected panels 10. For example, a single panel canbe positioned appropriately to provide a sound barrier, e.g., betweenrooms, or against a wall, floor, ceiling, etc. Also, multiple panels canbe positioned and configured to provide an enlarged barrier or anenclosed or partially enclosed chamber. In one aspect, one or multiplepanels 10 are held together using a variety of coupling devices as willbe discussed below. For example, where a panel is held by a couplingdevice, the inflatable nature of panel 10 advantageously facilitatesself sealing, and engagement with a coupling device. As the panel isinflated, the bladder and sound attenuation material layer(s) self seal,and the panel engages the interior of a coupling device, due to thebiasing force of the (increasing) internal air pressure of the bladder.Also, in certain aspects, deflation of a panel facilitates separation ofpanels from coupling devices.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of an acoustic barrier structure includinga plurality of panels 110, coupled together with a plurality of couplingdevices to form a sound attenuation wall 100. As shown, wall 100includes multiple panels 110, each having an opaque sound attenuationlayers (e.g., MLV) so that the wall also provides a visual barrier. Itshould be appreciated that any or all panels could be fabricated oftranslucent materials to provide a “see-through” wall. As shown, thepanels 110 are coupled together using a variety of coupling devices. Afloor support 120 comprising a single integrated panel holder, ormultiple panel holders coupled together, provides support for thestructure 100. The floor support may be coupled to a floor element or itmay be free-standing. Side-by-side coupler elements (e.g., H-shaped beamelements) 130 couple two (or more) panels together linearly (at about a180° angle) as shown and U-beam elements 140 provide outside support.The coupling devices may be modular or telescoping and/or extendable.Additional support structure 150, comprising one or multiple elements,provide support at the top of the structure 100. In certain aspects, theinner portion and/or the outer portion of a coupling device includes alayer of sound attenuation material coupled thereto to provideadditional sound attenuation properties to structure 100, e.g., toprevent sound leakage at points where various elements meet. Forexample, FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of an H-beam element 130including a layer 135 of sound attenuation material on an inner surface.In certain aspects, a panel 110 can be slid into coupling elements afterinflation, e.g., a panel can be slid between two H-beam elements.Alternatively, an un-inflated, or partially inflated panel may bepositioned as appropriate and inflated to enhance sealing.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example of an acoustic barrier structure includinga plurality of panels 210, coupled together with a plurality of couplingdevices to form an enclosed sound attenuation chamber 200. As shown,chamber 200 includes multiple panels 210, each having translucent soundattenuation layers (e.g., MLV) so that the chamber is “see-through”. Itshould be appreciated that any or all panels could be fabricated of, orcovered by, opaque materials. As shown, the panels 210 are coupledtogether using a variety of coupling devices.

A floor structure 215 comprising a single integrated panel, or multiplepanels coupled together, provides support for the structure 200. Thefloor structure 215, in certain aspects, includes a sound attenuationmaterial such as MLV. A floor support 220 comprising a single integratedpanel holder, or multiple panel holders coupled together, providessupport for the structure 200. The floor support 220 may be fixedlycoupled to floor structure 215 or it may be free-standing. H-beamelements 230 linearly (at about a 180° angle) couple two (or more)panels together as shown and corner beam elements 240 provide outsidesupport and interconnectivity for panels of different walls of thestructure 200. FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of a corner beamelement 240 according to one embodiment. Corner beam elements areconfigured to connect two or more panels together at a non-linear angle,e.g., other than 180° (e.g., ranging between 1 or 2 degrees and about180 degrees). For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the corner beam elementsare configured to hold two panels at about 90°. Additional top supportstructure beam 250, comprising one or multiple elements, provide supportat the top of the structure 200 in addition to a top H-beam element 230_(T) and corner cover elements 260. In cases where it is desirable tohave a door or other entryway, e.g., for an enclosed chamber, door frameconnectors may be used so that a panel structure can be opened, forexample as shown in FIG. 8. Alternatively, a panel may be modified toinclude a sealable passageway that acts as a door. For example, thepassageway, such as a doorway may include a larger bladder surrounding asmaller bladder such that the inner bladder swings in and out on a“hinge” of material attaching the two parts. Also, features can bedefined in a connector to allow for air flow into and out of a barrierstructure. For example, in FIGS. 7 and 8, an H-Beam element isconfigured with vent holes 232 as shown. Any coupling device/connectorelement may include vent holes or other features as desired. It shouldalso be appreciated that the configurations of the coupling devicesshown can take on different cross-sections and shapes, e.g., roundedcorners.

In certain aspects, the inner portion and/or the outer portion of acoupling device element includes a layer of sound attenuation materialcoupled thereto (e.g., using a glue, Velcro, etc.) to provide additionalsound attenuation properties to structure 200, e.g., to prevent soundleakage at points where various elements meet. For example, FIG. 7illustrates a perspective view of a corner beam element 240 including alayer 245 of sound attenuation material on an inner surface.

FIG. 9 illustrates a modular acoustic barrier structure 300 according toanother embodiment. As shown, elements of structure 300 are separated toshow various design configurations and alternatives. For example, in oneembodiment, a sound attenuation panel only comprises a single sheet orlayer of sound attenuating material 310, e.g., MLV. In anotherembodiment, a panel comprises a pair of sound attenuating sheets orlayers 310 and 312, e.g., MLV, with an air gap between (no inflatablebladder), although an inflatable bladder 320 may be included asdiscussed above. In this embodiment, the connector elements/couplingdevices hold the two sound attenuating sheets in a sealed configurationsuch that an air gap exists therebetween to provide the same effect asthe inflatable bladder. That is, sound attenuation is enhanced by theattenuation characteristics of the air cavity. The coupling devices maybe modular or telescoping and/or extendable. The sound attenuationsheets 310 and 312 may be coupled or attached to the connector elementsusing a glue, Velcro or other adhesive material or mechanism.

Advantageously, enclosures fabricated using the sound attenuation panelsand structures of the present invention were found to have exceptionalinsertion losses. For example, one test enclosure was found to haveinsertion losses of over 50 dB at about 2,000 Hz and above, where a 10dB reduction in sound level is perceived as halving the loudness.

Examples of Alternatives and Uses

The sound attenuation systems and devices of the present invention arepreferably configurable in different shapes and sizes, allowing them tobe used for a variety of purposes, including, but not limited to, theconstruction of the following types of sound barrier structures in whichsoundproofing qualities are desired:

-   Musical Instrument Practice Rooms-   Home Recording Studios-   Home Theater Rooms-   Game/Play/Study Rooms-   Trade Show Rooms-   Factory Floor Control Rooms-   Sound Deadening Walls, Ceilings and Flooring for internal use (for    example, to provide temporary soundproofing to homes, apartments,    townhouses and condominiums when repair work is being done in other    nearby homes or units.) Such a device is light enough that it may    even be attached to surfaces using heavy-duty Velcro. They may    include as little one panel installed to act as a simple wall or    ceiling barrier between noisy apartments.-   Sound Containment Walls for external use (for example to use as    temporary sound barriers when a road-construction detour has to be    put in place through a residential neighborhood.)-   Sound Deflecting Walls (for example to be used as a freeway sound    barriers in circumstances where permanent walls are not possible.)-   Temporary, outdoor music amphitheater shells.-   Aircraft Engine Run Up Hangers/Areas (for military or civilian use.)

Because in certain aspects a fluid (gas or liquid) such as air is usedto provide the necessary rigidity to the “supportive shell” (e.g.,bladder) onto which the acoustic barrier material is applied, thecombined materials remain light enough to make the system in accordancewith the present invention easily portable/movable, allowing for thedesign and construction of structures appropriate for use even insidethe average residential building, since they will generally weigh lessper square foot than a waterbed.

For the uses described above, a fully-enclosed “room within a room,” ora shell comprising various combinations of walls, ceiling and flooringthat does not form a fully enclosed “room within a room,” will provideuseful sound attenuation characteristics that provide a user with aplace to listen to or create relatively loud sounds, thus allowing oneto avoid/limit the imposition of noise nuisance on those outside thestructure, and/or provide a quiet room that keeps loud sounds out. Usesinclude, but are not limited to: a place in which to practice playingmusical instruments or singing; a home-theater room in which one canlisten to high-volume surround-sound systems; a place for children toplay noisy games (such as video games, group board games or even theboisterous play of young children); and a quiet room for study, privacy,meditation or prayer.

The system is also preferably deployable outdoors. The panels arepreferably waterproof and may be exposed to significant temperaturefluctuations (heat and cold).

Thus, the present invention allows for the development of structures (asdescribed, and others) with considerable soundproofing qualities thatmay be deployed in spaces or places that previously could not haveeasily or affordably accommodated such structures.

Additional Notable Aspects of the Invention:

Sound Attenuation Panel Couplers:

The sound attenuating panel couplers comprise a series of devices usedto attach a set of sound attenuating panels together in order to formspecific shapes and structure types. In certain aspects, a coupler alsoact as a noise-attenuating component in its own right, helping toprevent any “leakage” of sound through the cracks between each of thepanels. A coupler device preferably includes a rigid structure. Couplerdevices may take on many different shapes and sizes designed tofacilitate joining together a series of panels at logical places (suchas wall mid-sections, wall corners, ceiling pieces, etc.; see Figures).In certain aspects, a coupler device is also coated or covered with oneor more layers of acoustic barrier (preferably a mass-loaded vinylbarrier) material.

For instance, using the sound attenuating panel couplers allows for theconstruction of inflatable enclosures such as rooms or partial rooms.Examples include practice studios, home theaters and game rooms largerthan could be achieved with a single-piece design, or, usingsignificantly larger variations of both the couplers and the inflatablesound attenuation panels, inflatable freeway sound walls and inflatableaircraft jet engine run up hangers.

Flooring:

A sound-insulating flooring system for structures made with the soundattenuation systems of the present invention may be included if desired,because some locations (such as basement recreation rooms for example)may not require a flooring system, while others, such as apartments withhardwood floors, carpeted floors, or tiled floors may each require adifferent type of treatment for optimal soundproofing. In one aspect, aflooring system includes one or more rigid sound attenuation panelsdeployed underneath the inflatable structure, (which may be made up ofinflatable walls, an inflatable ceiling and a flooring materialcomprised of mass-loaded vinyl barrier sheathed in PVC but not using anair-chamber underfoot.) If desired, additional panels of the inflatablesound attenuation system may be inserted underneath a raised flooringsystem to provide additional sound attenuation qualities to the floorsof any given structure.

Ventilation:

According to one aspect, an inflatable sound attenuating system paneland/or a single or multiple-piece room structures include features thatallow for fresh air to be constantly circulated into the structurethrough the use of an optional fan/heating/cooling system that hasnoise-limiting features of its own. This ventilation system is comprisedof a special “ventilation-facilitating” sound attenuating panel (or asection of the wall of the single-piece inflatable rooms) that has aseries of baffled air conduits built into it (filtering throughcommercially available, non-toxic acoustic-barrier foam), so that airmay be pushed through the walls, in both directions, while maintainingthe maximum sound barrier qualities of the system. For example, in oneaspect, air is pushed/pulled through the “ventilation-facilitating”section of the structure (e.g., panel and/or coupling element) using acommercially available fan, as depicted in the FIG. 10. In anotheraspect, the air flow is achieved by pushing/pulling air through smallpassageways in the coupling devices.

Power-Supply:

In one aspect, a power cord may be integrated with or inserted through asmall, specially baffled/foamed “port” (giving it as much soundproofingquality as possible) in the corner of either one particular panel of aroom assembled with panels or of a single-piece structure. The systemmay include built in power panels or plug systems as desired. Forexample, a coupling element or a panel may include an integrated powersupply.

Lighting:

In one aspect, some or all of the panels used to construct a chamber, orparts of a single-piece room (window areas of panels and doors) may beconstructed using lightly opaque or clear materials (both the materialused to construct air chambers and mass-loaded vinyl are available in avariety of opacities), in order to let natural/room light into thestructure, or users may use their own lighting devices as they chooseinside the structure. The system may include lighting fixtures orsystems as desired.

Inflatable Structures:

FIG. 10 illustrates a one-piece inflatable structure 400 according toone embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, thestructure 400 includes one bladder or multiple interconnected bladdersconfigured such that when inflated, an inner chamber is created. Wheremultiple interconnected bladders are used, fluid ports couple twobladders together so that a single pump system can inflate more than onebladder. The inner and/or outer walls of the chamber may include a soundattenuation material attached thereto, for example, one or multiplesheets of MLV attached to the bladder(s). The sound attenuation materialsheet(s) may be pre-attached or attached by a user after the structurehas been erected or inflated, partially or entirely. In certain aspects,the structure 400 includes an integrated self inflation device, althoughports may be provided to allow for connectivity with an external pump.Inflation via fluid flow may be continuous or non-continuous. Airventilation ports may also be provided to allow connectivity with anexternal ventilation system. An entry portion (e.g., door) is preferablyprovided to allow one to enter and leave the chamber. Additional supportelements can be used to provide structural integrity.

Each single-piece structure (such as a practice room, home theatre, gameroom, etc.) is preferably equipped with one or more high-performanceinternal inflation pump(s), in order to allow users to simply plug inthe device and inflate the room to its full size automatically.

Individual panels are equipped with one or more inflation valves thatmay either be used in conjunction with standard air mattress-type pumps(for smaller panels) or industrial-grade inflation devices (for freewaywalls, airplane engine run up hangers, etc.) In one aspect, each panelincludes an individual inflation device built into or otherwiseintegrated with the panel. The valve(s) may be placed on any surface ofthe panel, and more than one valve may be provided, in order tofacilitate inflation and/or deflation of the panel at all times (e.g. ifadditional inflation of panels is desired when a wall or a room isalready set up.)

For larger barriers, Helium or other low density gas may be used toinflate a panel. For example, the use of Helium provides additionalsupport by helping to raise or lift the panel.

In one aspect, a panel, e.g., a bladder, might include a side pocketconfigured to receive and hold a rigid material such as a board so as toprovide additional structural support. In certain aspects, systems andmethods that provide continuous flow may be used, for example forlarger, industrial scale bladders and/or other smaller bladders where itmay be desirable to include leakage and continuous flow of fluid intothe bladder.

Additional Features:

For each category of use possible for the inflatable sound attenuationsystem (such as soundproof rooms, freeway walls, airport hangers), avariety of colors/sizes/use categories are available. Examples ofvariations on soundproof rooms, for instance, include:

-   Sizes for Practice Studios:    -   Individual-sized chambers for single instrument practice or a        vocal booth.    -   Practice rooms that hold larger groups of people/instruments.    -   Longer/Narrower shaped rooms for enclosing an upright practice        piano.    -   Wider/Squarer shaped rooms for enclosing a grand piano.-   Various colors for panels and structures, e.g., rooms and practice    studios can be used:-   Add-ons for various inflatable rooms might include:    -   “Inflatable Recording Studio” with additional sound absorption        material (e.g. egg shell foam) on the walls.    -   “Inflatable Home Theater” with special containers built into the        walls to hang/place various sizes of speakers.    -   “Inflatable Play Room” with various types of child-safe play        structures built into the chamber, such as a maze or        mini-slides.

In one embodiment, a portable system such as a portable, inflatable“Instant Recording Studio” is provided in a container or carrying devicesuch as a suitcase or a crate that can also be used as a table or stand.The carrying device or outer shell might include handles and rollerwheels to facilitate transport, and the contents might include, inaddition to the panels and connectors that would create one or morewalls or a room, a built-in air circulation system and power supply forinflation of panel components making up the system.

In an alternative embodiment, an inflatable bladder is made up of asound attenuating material so that additional sheets or layers of soundattenuating material (e.g., MLV) may not be needed. Likewise, in analternative embodiment, the inflatable structures are made of, orcovered with, a sound attenuating material. This may result in lesssound attenuation but may provide for more portability.

For some structures, additional support may be desired to help supportthe panels or overall structure. Examples might include floor or wallbraces and anchors and other similar bracing devices.

Preferably, a sound attenuation material (e.g., MLV) covers an entirebladder or the entire inflatable structure, inside and out. For example,a single sheet of MLV may be attached to multiple support bladders.Alternatively, only a portion or one side of a bladder may be covered,preferably such that when a structure is erected, the structure hassound attenuation material fully surrounding it, either interiorly orexteriorly, or at least on one side in the case where the structure isnot fully enclosed.

A cover may be provided to cover components or completed structures ifdesired. The cover is preferably made of cloth or other suitablematerial to provide protection, decoration, alter the fragrance of thematerials, etc.

In one aspect, a clear, rigid acrylic material is used to construct thecoupling elements and support beams. For example, when combined withclear MLV and clear PVC air bladders of the panels, as much light fromthe outside as possible is allowed in to the structure (hence noelectric lights are needed). In another aspect, the coupling elementsand support beams are made of rigid, opaque PVC, for example wheremaking a booth where darkness inside a booth is a desired feature (inwhich case an opaque MLV and air bladder would also preferably be used.)

FIG. 11 illustrates a top view of embodiments of panels 500 and 501configured with connection elements or features. As shown, panel 500includes a bladder having a female recession region 510, e.g., a“c”-shaped recession, configured to mate with a male connector region520 of another bladder or other element. Panel 501 includes atwo-pronged male connector region 521. FIG. 11 b illustrates a pluralityof bladders 501 in an interconnected configuration; a male region 521mates with a female region 510. In certain aspects, inflation ofinterconnected bladders provides an air lock in the interconnectedrecession regions. In certain aspects, a support pole 530 or otherstructural element, e.g., beam, board, telescoping pole, etc., can beused to provide additional structural support as is shown in FIG. 11 b.

While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms ofthe specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention isnot limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it isintended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements aswould be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, couplingelements and devices may also comprise an inflatable bladder. Therefore,the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadestinterpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similararrangements.

What is claimed is:
 1. An inflatable sound attenuation panel,comprising: an inflatable bladder; a first sheet of mass-loaded vinyl(MLV) attached to at least one surface of the bladder.
 2. The panel ofclaim 1 further comprising: a second sheet of MLV attached to a surfaceof the bladder opposite the first sheet of MLV.
 3. The panel of claim 2wherein the bladder is adapted to hold the first and second sheets ofMLV planar parallel to each other at a first predefined distance for afirst sound frequency at a first inflation and at a second predefineddistance for a second sound frequency at a second inflation, therebyallowing for tuning the panel to optimally attenuate the first or secondsound frequencies.
 4. The panel of claim 1 wherein the bladder includesa plurality of inflation chambers.
 5. The panel of claim 1 furthercomprising: means for coupling the panel to another like panel.
 6. Thepanel of claim 5 wherein the means for coupling the panel include twoinflatable male prongs on a first side of the bladder and a “c”-shapedrecession on a second side of the bladder, wherein the two inflatablemale prongs are configured to mate with a “c”-shaped recession of abladder of the other like panel.
 7. The panel of claim 5 furthercomprising: means for stacking the inflatable panels on top of oneanother to create a wall.
 8. The panel of claim 5 wherein the means forcoupling the panel include an element selected from the group consistingof a side-by-side connector element that couples two panels and aconnector element that couples two panels in a non-linear fashion. 9.The panel of claim 1 wherein the at least one surface of the bladder hascorrugated features.
 10. The panel of claim 1 wherein the MLV comprisespolyvinyl chloride (PVC) impregnated with a heavy metal.
 11. The panelof claim 1 wherein the MLV is attached to the bladder using an adhesiveor hook and loop fasteners.
 12. The panel of claim 1 wherein the bladderis inflated.
 13. A method of erecting a sound wall, comprising: settingon a horizontal surface a non-inflated gas bladder, the bladder attachedto a first sheet of mass-loaded vinyl (MLV); and inflating the bladderso as to pull the attached sheet of MLV off the horizontal surface,thereby using gas pressure to erect a relatively heavy sheet of MLV. 14.The method of claim 13 wherein the bladder is attached to a second sheetof MLV opposite the first sheet of MLV and the bladder is adapted tohold the first and second sheets of MLV planar parallel to each other ata first predefined distance for a first sound frequency at a firstinflation and at a second predefined distance for a second soundfrequency at a second inflation, the method further comprising:inflating or deflating the bladder from the first to the secondpredefined inflation in order to tune the sound wall to optimallyattenuate the second sound frequency.
 15. The method of claim 13 furthercomprising: coupling the bladder with a second bladder; and inflatingthe second bladder such that the second bladder seals against the otherbladder.
 16. The method of claim 13 further comprising: coupling thebladder with a second bladder using a coupling device; and inflating thesecond bladder such that the second bladder seals against the couplingdevice and applies bias force on the coupling device against the otherbladder.
 17. The method of claim 13 wherein the bladder is inflated withhelium, thereby providing buoyancy to help raise the sound wall.
 18. Asound attenuation wall, comprising: sound attenuation panels, each panelhaving an inflatable bladder and a first sheet of mass-loaded vinyl(MLV) attached to a surface of the respective bladder, the MLV includingpolymer material; and coupling devices; wherein each panel is configuredto seal against at least one of the coupling devices using a biasingforce of internal gas pressure of the respective bladder.
 19. The wallof claim 18 wherein each panel has a second sheet of MLV attached to asurface opposite the first sheet of MLV.
 20. The wall of claim 18wherein each bladder is adapted to hold the respective first and secondsheets of MLV planar parallel to each other at a first predefineddistance for a first sound frequency at a first inflation and at asecond predefined distance for a second sound frequency at a secondinflation, thereby allowing for tuning the wall to optimally attenuatethe first or second sound frequencies.
 21. The wall of claim 18 whereineach of the bladders is interconnected with fluid ports such that asingle pump is enabled to inflate more than one bladder at one time. 22.The wall of claim 18 wherein the coupling devices are H-shaped.
 23. Thewall of claim 22 wherein the H-shaped coupling devices include ventholes.